They paved the way as brave women of color, They defied and fought for Equality.

The love of all things handmade has seen a revival in the last few years and Cleveland pride is at an all-time high. The tale of Jenny Goe, owner of In The 216 in Coventry Village, is a special one.

She is enthusiastic and hopeful about the new store that opened in the old Phoenix coffee shop location on the East side. Hosting over 40 artists in the store, Jenny is very pleased to have offered local handmade a permanent home.Artist like local designer Tidal Cool have their wares on display along with products from Urban Botanicals and Jennifer Worden glass trees (made from upcycled materials). The store has everything from t-shirts, jewelry, baby clothing and other fantastic treasures like coffee cups, handmade monsters, home decor, art and even accessories for your pups! Handmade markets like The Cleveland Flea and The Cleveland Bazaar have been popular, but they are moving seasonal locations. In The 216 offers a year-round permanent location for customers and artist alike to find a unique new twist on Cleveland-centric momentos.

The Coventry neighborhood is home to treasures like Big Fun, Sunshine, Phoenix Coffee, Mac Books and Tommy's. In the 216 will be a delightful addition to this fascinating street! In The 216 is preparing for their upcoming grand opening party on May 28th, 2015 at 6:00PM. They invite you to shop with your family and friends and hope you find something special in the store! (Facebook invite here)We are especially excited to welcome them as our 2015 Ohio Burlesque Festival Sponsors :) !!Come live the life In The 216 and show your Cleveland pride! Shop and support local!

Local indie darlings Seafair are gearing up for their forthcoming album release at the Grog Shop on 5/23. Their new album, The Querencia, will be the band’s first release on vinyl. We caught up with singer Chayla Hope about the album’s writing process and what’s up next for the sextet. Check it out!How did the writing process change for your upcoming album, The Querencia? Some of our older songs were written before some of our members joined which didn't leave room for potential creativity. On this album however, everyone got their chance to write and create and that makes for something beautiful and unique. I couldn't be happier with the outcome!Where did the name come from?We took a very long time to come up with the perfect name for this debut. It had to have a large meaning. We were stuck, when out of nowhere Josh sent us this incredible word with the perfect meaning--querencia. If you look it up, there are plenty of different definitions for this word, but the one that stuck out to me was " the place where you are your most authentic self." Music gives me that.

What influenced your decision to press vinyl?Some of us are pretty big into collecting. We are all happy to see vinyl making such a big comeback. Take me to a record store and I'm a kid in a candy shop!You recently competed for a spot at Bonnaroo. How was that experience?We may not have won, but it still felt like we did. The support we had throughout the competition was pretty moving. To see that many people believing in us and pushing for us to be heard by others was breathtaking.

What is up next for Seafair outside of Cleveland?We are playing a few shows out of town this month. Getting out and experiencing new places is a blast.What do you think makes the Cleveland music community special?There are so many stellar artists who come out and support one another. Don't even get me started on the talent Cleveland holds! It's insane! Everywhere I go in C-town, I hear a new act that blows my mind and it's growing exponentially!Why did you pick the other two bands that will be playing with you on 5/23?It wasn't hard. Midnight Passenger has a killer sound that we knew our fans would love. This will be the third time we've played with Regret the Hour. They are coming all the way from New York for this and I promise you, you'll want to go back with them just to hear more!Seafair has released a New Video since this interview - Check Out Inferno

Toni Elling began performing burlesque in the 1960s when very many dancers were giving up their pasties. Elling jump-started her career in Detroit’s The Flame Show Bar dancing for singer Jackie Wilson. In Cleveland, she performed at Sorma's (St Clair and E.26) for about two weeks during the first two years of her performing career. While in Cleveland, another dancer claimed the city was known for enjoying "floor work," but Elling replied, "I hate getting dirty." Instead, Elling preferred evoking classic elegance and refused to be held to the savage standards the then-segregated industry had for performers of color. She never allowed those standards to stop her from pursuing success and she was no stranger to the spotlight, having rubbed elbows with some of the best in the industry. She counted bandleader Duke Ellington, fighter Joe Louis, entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr. and Earl "The Fatha" Heinz amongst her friends.

Elling's second visit to Cleveland was to help Duke Ellington write female jazz beat, which he would later reveal to her as the song "Satin Doll." She recounted his phone call and request she come to Cleveland the week of September 19, 1952, to assist him in the task when we spoke to her over the phone. She took the first plane out and arrived in the rust belt city to be swept up by a car and taken to the hotel to freshen up before headding to Town Casino on East 107th and Euclid. She wove her way through tables to sit at the bar as his final set finished. She sat smoking with a cigarette holder as she kept looking over her shoulder, watching for Duke Ellington to approach her. In later years, she asked Ellington to compose a song for her and it was then that he revealed he already had with "Satin Doll."Toni Elling was awarded the 2014 Living Legend of the Year Award by the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas. She is known for her kindness and willingness to help and nurture many of today's performers.

Toni Elling will be coming back to Cleveland May 23rd to The Beachland Ballroom to celebrate the 5th Annual Roxy Remembered show. The show itself is a nod to Cleveland's past, with live music provided by Miss Alexandra Huntingdon and The Gentlemen's Intermission to accompany the ladies as they tease with very special performances showcasing belly dance, tap and ballet with some special guests. The masters of hilarity Abby Downton and Ken Schneck will be hosting the show. A collection of artifacts of The Roxy Burlesque Theater will be on display including a marker of Blaze Fury, who performed at The Roxy Burlesque Theater.